1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molded strip carrying and supporting in an integral structure a plurality of electronic parts of a small size such as LEDs or the like each having an outer peripheral surface hermetically enclosed by molded resin and at least two lead wires extending outwardly. The strip is designated to be used in an automatized production of apparatuses in which the electronic parts are to be employed. The present invention is also concerned with a method of manufacturing the molded strip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The electronic parts of the type which the present invention concerns are provided in the form of an integrally molded structure in which electrically conductive beam-like members designated to serve as lead wires for each of the electronic parts are embedded within a body of resin. For facilitating the handling of the electronic parts in the course of manufacturing the apparatus in which they are to be employed, it is known to form a grid or lattice-like conductor strip member by mutually connecting the lead wires of the plural electronic parts in a net-like form, wherein the resin bodies each encasing the electronic part are interconnected by means of a runner resin in a single cycle of injection molding.
However, the number of the electronic parts which can be obtained through the single cycle of injection molding is limited due to various factors such as viscosity of plastic material, cooling rate after injection, flow resistance presented by a die used for the injection molding and others.
On the other hand, there exists a constant demand for full automatization of the whole manufacturing process in an effort to reduce the cost involved in manufacturing the electronic parts as well as the relevant apparatuses. Under the circumstance, an electronic part carrying strip of a much increased length up to a semiendless length is desired in which there are incorporated, as interconnected, a greater number of small size electronic parts beyond the limit imposed on the number of parts which can be manufactured through a single cycle of injection molding.